Teaching and practicing skiing on snow have many drawbacks. Among the drawbacks is the fact that in many localities the winter season is short, and skiers must often travel long distances to find appropriate ski slopes. This means that the average skier has a very short time to learn and practice the art, and yet his enjoyment of skiing is only in proportion to his proficiency.
In the art of skiing, the most important maneuver to be learned is the turn, which enables the skier to descend even though the most difficult slopes without losing control. In accordance with the parallel style of skiing, the turn is performed by the use of three basic motions. The first motion is one of unweighting, or upward lifting by standing up away from the snow, with the upper part of the body facing downhill. This angulation unwinds the feet through the elasticity of the body's midsection causing the feet (and skis) to point in the direction of the chest (downhill). The second half of the turn is accomplished by lowering the body down slightly (bending the knees) causing the skis to swing sideways to the slope of the hill, effecting speed reduction and control (edging). The third basic motion is the pole point, which ideally occurs at the moment the body reaches the lowest point (closest to the snow) at the end of the turn. This permits the cycle to repeat itself immediately, allowing the skier the maximum control of speed, the maximum number of turns, maximum control, and minimum effort.
It is accordingly, an objective of the present invention to provide apparatus on which the three essential motions may be practiced.
Specifically the objectives of the present invention are to provide apparatus whereby the motions of an expert skier may be practiced on a relatively simple, inexpensive structure; to provide apparatus by which the right and left turns which are executed by a skier by momentum caused by a rapid lift of his torso may also be practiced; and apparatus by which the skier may exercise the motions performed in a downward movement with the skis inclined downwardly forwardly and with the body correspondingly angled and with the weight balanced.
Another objective of the invention is to provide apparatus in which a skier may perform movements corresponding to those executed in skiing, in which the skier may exert intermittent pressure on his heels with an accompanying bending of his knees thus to effect a rapid up and down movement.